As a former counselor to President George W. Bush and chairman of the national and Virginia Republican parties, Ed Gillespie got to know the Republican luminaries and donors who are now helping him try to unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Warner.

Gillespie’s first Senate fundraising report, showing $2.2 million in receipts in the first three months of this year, reads like a “who’s who” of Republican politics during the Bush years.

Gillespie’s donor list is led by Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, who each gave the maximum $5,200 donation — $2,600 for the primary and $2,600 for the general election.

Former lawmakers funding Gillespie’s Senate bid include former Sens. Don Nickles of Oklahoma, Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois, John E. Sununu of New Hampshire and Tim Hutchinson of Arkansas and former Reps. Bob Michel of Illinois, Bob Livingston of Louisiana, Bill Paxon of New York and Tom Tauke of Iowa.

Gillespie, who led the Republican National Committee from 2003 to 2005, received donations from at least three of his predecessors in that position: Frank Fahrenkopf, Haley Barbour and Marc Racicot.

Gillespie’s donor list also includes his first boss in Congress, Andy Ireland, who represented Florida in the House. Gillespie and Ireland were originally Democrats and switched to Republican in 1984, as Gillespie related in his 2006 book, “Winning Right.”